The highly anticipated return of Love Island All Stars has hit a temporary snag, but the contestants are making the most of their extended wait by giving fans a tantalising peek behind the curtain. The 2026 series, which was originally scheduled to begin on Monday night, has been postponed due to the devastating wildfires that broke out around the Western Cape in South Africa, where the iconic villa is located.
Sun, Relaxation and Social Media Teasers
While production was halted, this year's cohort of returning Islanders have been sequestered in a luxury residence, soaking up the sun and relaxing by the pool. Despite the delay, they've been busy teasing their followers with a string of candid social media posts from their hideaway.
Series 12 favourite Tommy Bradley posted a humorous sunbathing snap, directly referencing the postponement. He captioned the photo of himself asleep on a sunbed with: "The UK: 'Love Island All Stars postponed!!!'," clearly indicating his relaxed state ahead of the drama to come.
Meanwhile, series 11's Sean Stone, the sweet shop founder known for his romance with Matilda Draper, shared a selfie from a plush hotel lift as he awaited further news. Former series 10 winner Jess Harding used the extra time for some pampering, posting a playful photo with her hair wrapped in a fluffy towel.
Launch Delay and Production Update
The third season of the Love Island All Stars spin-off was forced to push back its launch after wildfires raged near the filming location. Reports earlier this week confirmed the blaze is now under control, allowing production to gear up again. However, ITV has not yet confirmed a new official start date for the 2026 series.
An ITV policy requires all contestants to remain separate before entering the villa, explaining why fans haven't seen the Islanders mingling. They are instructed to avoid each other until filming officially begins and host Maya Jama kicks off the proceedings.
A Legendary Line-Up Awaits
This year's All Stars cast is set to feature fan favourites from an impressive nine different seasons of the main show. The first twelve confirmed Islanders have all appeared in villas dating from series four in 2018 right up to the most recent series 12, which aired in 2025.
The starting line-up includes:
- Belle Hassan, 27 (series 5)
- Whitney Adebayo, 28 (series 10)
- Millie Court, 29 (series 7)
- Jess Harding, 25 (series 10)
- Leanne Amaning, 28 (series 6)
- Helena Ford, 29 (series 12)
- Sean Stone, 26 (series 11)
- Charlie Frederick, 30 (series 4)
- Ciaran Davies, 22 (series 11)
- Shaq Muhammad, 27 (series 9)
- Tommy Bradley, 22 (series 12)
- Jack Keating, 26 (series 8)
And in true Love Island fashion, bombshells are already rumoured to be waiting in the wings. Speculation suggests former Islanders like Samie Elishi (series 9), Olivia Hawkins (series 9), Ronnie Vint (series 11), Scott Van-Der-Sluis (series 10) and Curtis Pritchard (series 5) could make shock entrances to stir the pot.
With the fires under control and the Islanders ready for their close-up, fans can expect the Love Island All Stars 2026 debut episode to land later this week, promising a sizzling mix of familiar faces and fresh drama.
